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Rolls-Royce to switch to all-electric cars by 2040

It is hard to believe that the topmost luxury car maker in the world, Rolls-Royce can go all-electric. The legendary British mega-luxury auto maker, Rolls-Royce is known for its grandeur and magnificence that exudes past glory. Hence, it is probably unthinkable that the massive and exquisite RR models would be ditching their powerful internal combustion engines and adopt all-electric technology. However, this is exactly what Rolls-Royce is planning. The British auto behemoth is considering churning out only electric car models by 2040, in its bid to ditch the internal combustion engines which are currently the soul of mega-luxury models.

This is a huge move coming from a mega auto brand, as Rolls-Royce currently offers nothing other than its massive 12 cylinder petrol mills under the hoods of its offerings. However, the iconic brand is bracing up for a massive change and is ready to dump its 12 cylinder internal combustion engines to embrace "full electric" drivetrain by 2040, as the global auto industry is preparing to achieve that goal, the company’s Chief Executive Officer Torsten Müller-Ötvös told the media.

The governments of UK and France have already announced banning cars which doesn’t run on electric power by 2040. Müller-Ötvös believes that the other car markets like US and Middle East will also be following in the same line.

He said that going by the situation of Saudi, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, it is apparent that all these countries are looking into alternative energy and will adopt electrification sooner or later. Müller-Ötvös added by saying that the company will continue to offer its famed 12-cylinder engines as long as law allows the company to offer these.

Rolls-Royce is planning to introduce its first electric models within a decade, but will be phasing out its existing combustion engines over a much longer lime.

All car makers of the world are focusing on electric vehicles, as the electric vehicle market is going to boom very soon. However, Rolls-Royce’s decision is not based on profits as it is a highly bespoke automaker, but based on the legal requirements. Müller-Ötvös also said that the company’s decision is also not based on environmental concerns, as RR cars are exclusive and not used extensively on a daily basis or over long distances.

Müller-Ötvös further explained that as electrification is the future, the company has no option other than preparing for it.

The Rolls-Royce brand is owned by the German luxury auto major BMW, and like its parent company is now focusing on electrification. Rolls-Royce has already showcased a highly futuristic yet regal looking fully-electric and concept model that would come somewhere close to 2040.

Negating all the sad feelings that the authentic Rolls-Royce aficionados might have, Müller-Ötvös concluded by saying that electrification actually suites the company extremely well as electric powertrains are silent, powerful and deliver instant torque.

The full transition from the fossil fuel driven cars to the totally battery-driven and alternative energy vehicles around the world would take several decades. However, many countries have set specific timelines for the non-electric cars to be withdrawn from the market.

The UK government has set the timeline for total transition to all-electric and some hybrid cars for 2040, while France has also set the timeline for 2040. Germany has revealed it has similar plans, while China wants most of its cars to be electrified by as soon as 2025.